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Sophia University

Sophia University

上智大学

Tokyo, Japan · Private university · Based on the April 2027 entry guidelines

Top Global University (Type B · Global Traction)ⓘOf the 37 universities MEXT has supported since 2014 to take more international students and expand English-taught classes and exchange, these 24 were chosen to lead the internationalization of Japanese universities.So-Kei-Jo-RiⓘA name grouping Waseda, Keio, Sophia and Tokyo University of Science — private universities that Japanese applicants see as a similar level. Not an official ranking.

30 days leftApply by 12/4 · English-Taught Degree Programs, April Entry, Round 2 (Liberal Arts, DGTech)

Exam location
Campus in Japan · some online
›
Japanese requirement
EJU Japanese 300+
›
First-year fees
from ¥1,408,650
›

Fees and conditions can change over time. Always check the school's guidelines before you apply.

Has dormitory
EJU 300+
1 fee reductions & scholarships
Online exam
Apply in English
Students14,037
International students1,015
Faculty558
Founded1913

Homes near campus within 3 km · SALLAE building data

CampusStationHomesLowest / monthMedian
Yotsuya CampusChuo Line / Tokyo Metro, Yotsuya Station, 3 min walk21¥35,000¥88,000

See nearby homes on the map →

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東京都千代田区紀尾井町7-1

School website →

About the school

A private university founded in 1913. It has 14,037 students, including 1,015 international students (undergraduate 422 · graduate 593). There are 558 faculty members, 104 of them from outside Japan. It has exchange agreements with 415 universities.

History · 5
1913
Sophia University opened under the Specialized School Ordinance (Departments of Philosophy, German Literature and Commerce)
1928
Newly launched as a university under the University Ordinance
1948
Launched as a new-system university (Faculty of Letters and Faculty of Economics)
2006
Reorganized the Faculty of Comparative Culture as the Faculty of Liberal Arts and moved to the Yotsuya Campus
2020
Opened the English-taught course SPSF (Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures)

University Portraits · school history · Wikidata

Admission requirements and dates

Sophia University admits international students through 3 routes.Pick your situation below to see only the routes that fit · Based on the guidelines for April 2027 entry

EJUThe exam Japanese universities use for international student admission · June and November · also held outside Japan = Examination for Japanese University Admission · JLPTJapanese-Language Proficiency Test · N1 is the highest, then N2 = Japanese-Language Proficiency Test

Apply with EJU scores · one-step exam

Official name: 外国人入学試験〈一段階方式〉

You take the subject exam and an interview together at the Yotsuya Campus. Science and Technology has no department exam, only an interview.

You needEJU Japanese 300–340 or higher (varies by department) · Japan and the World, Mathematics, etc. · Science and Technology: Mathematics and Science 120–140 or higherExam locationCampus in Japan (Yotsuya)DepartmentsTheology, History, Japanese Literature, English Literature, German Literature, French Literature, Education, Psychology, Sociology, Nursing, Foreign Studies, Global Studies, Science and Technology

Applications for this year have closed — below are the remaining dates for those who applied

  1. Apply 7/15~7/29
  2. →
  3. Exam 9/20
  4. →
  5. Results 10/8
  6. →
  7. Enroll ~10/22

Apply with EJU scores · two-stage exam

Official name: 外国人入学試験〈二段階方式〉

If you pass the Stage 1 subject exam, you take the Stage 2 interview. Both are held at the Yotsuya Campus.

You needEJU Japanese 320–340 or higher (varies by department) · Japan and the World · MathematicsExam locationCampus in Japan (Yotsuya)DepartmentsPhilosophy, Journalism, Social Welfare, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Economics

Applications for this year have closed — below are the remaining dates for those who applied

  1. Apply 7/15~7/29
  2. →
  3. Exam 1 9/20
  4. →
  5. Exam 2 9/26
  6. →
  7. Results 10/8
  8. →
  9. Enroll ~10/22

Apply in English

Official name: 英語学位プログラム（国際教養学部・SPSF・DGTech）

These are programs taught in English. Selection is by documents only, with no Japanese test results.

You needOne of SAT, ACT, IB or A-Level (EJU is also accepted for DGTech) + TOEFL/IELTS · no Japanese test results neededExam locationDocument screening (uploaded online)DepartmentsLiberal Arts · SPSF (6 departments; September only) · Science and Technology DGTech

Accepting applications now · until 12/4

April entry Round 1

  1. Apply 9/1~9/9
  2. →
  3. Results 10/23
  4. →
  5. Enroll ~11/2723 days left

April entry Round 2 · only for people with a residence status in Japan

  1. Apply 11/11~12/4opens in 7 days
  2. →
  3. Results 1/29
  4. →
  5. Enroll ~3/5

September entry Round 1

  1. Apply 11/11~12/4opens in 7 days
  2. →
  3. Results 2/5
  4. →
  5. Enroll ~4/9

September entry Round 2

  1. Apply 3/10~3/31opens in 126 days
  2. →
  3. Results 6/4
  4. →
  5. Enroll ~7/9

Good to know before applying

  1. You cannot apply unless you meet the department's EJU reference score (Japanese counts only reading, listening and listening-reading; the written section is not included). Only one sitting's scores are used; you cannot combine multiple sittings.
  2. You must have attended junior high or high school under the Japanese education system for less than 4 years in total.
  3. Application documents must in principle be originals. Copies and printouts of electronic data are not treated as originals. Documents in languages other than Japanese or English need translation and certification by a public body, etc.
  4. Native speakers of the specialized language cannot take the entrance exams for the English, German and French Literature departments or the Faculty of Foreign Studies.
  5. Documents are valid with a postmark of Jul 30 (must arrive for those from overseas). After paying the screening fee, you cannot change the application form or desired department, and you can apply to only 1 department.

上智大学 2027年度 入学試験要項 外国人入学試験（2026年5月25日修正） · checked 2026-11-02

Fees

First-year fees
¥1,408,650 ~ ¥1,954,650
Paid at enrollment
from ¥805,650
Application fee
¥35,000

Costs needed for the 2026 enrollment procedure (for reference). Amounts for the 2027 academic year will be announced in the enrollment procedure guidelines. In addition to the application screening fee, there is a ¥1,100 fee for using the online application system.

Places and fees by department 31
DepartmentPlacesApplied/PassedFirst-year fees (¥)
Faculty of Theology
Department of TheologyA few students2 / 01,408,650
Faculty of Humanities
Department of PhilosophyA few students7 / 11,408,650
Department of HistoryA few students5 / 21,408,650
Department of Japanese LiteratureA few students3 / 11,408,650
Department of English LiteratureA few students0 / 01,408,650
Department of German LiteratureA few students1 / 01,408,650
Department of French LiteratureA few students1 / 01,408,650
Department of JournalismA few students13 / 31,450,650
Faculty of Human Sciences
Department of EducationA few students65 / 31,408,650
Department of PsychologyA few students13 / 01,492,650
Department of SociologyA few students30 / 21,408,650
Department of Social WelfareA few students13 / 01,408,650
Department of NursingA few students0 / 01,954,650
Faculty of Law
Department of LawA few students8 / 21,408,650
Department of International Legal StudiesA few students14 / 21,408,650
Department of Global Environmental LawA few students5 / 01,408,650
Faculty of Economics
Department of EconomicsA few students45 / 31,408,650
Department of ManagementA few students47 / 71,408,650
Faculty of Foreign Studies
Department of English StudiesA few students0 / 01,408,650
Department of German StudiesA few students0 / 01,408,650
Department of French StudiesA few students1 / 11,408,650
Department of Hispanic StudiesA few students0 / 01,408,650
Department of Russian StudiesA few students0 / 01,408,650
Department of Portuguese StudiesA few students0 / 01,408,650
Faculty of Global Studies
Department of Global StudiesA few students21 / 61,408,650
Faculty of Science and Technology
Department of Materials and Life SciencesA few students37 / 121,952,650
Department of Engineering and Applied SciencesA few students33 / 101,952,650
Department of Information and Communication SciencesA few students11 / 41,952,650
Faculty of Liberal Arts
Department of Liberal Arts (English-taught degree)1,668,650
SPSF (6 departments)
Journalism, Education, Sociology, Economics, Management, Global Studies (English-taught degree)A few students1,644,650
Faculty of Science and Technology
Department of Digital Green Technology (DGTech; English-taught degree; opens April 2027)50

Places are the total across all international student admissions. Applied/passed figures are for the 2026 academic year. Fees are for 2026 entry.

For 2026 entry · from the school's guidelines

Documents to prepare

Application form, documents proving eligibility for university admission, high school transcript for all 3 years, copy of passport, EJU score confirmation sheet (one sitting), foreign language test scores (designated departments only), letter of recommendation (Department of Theology only), etc. In principle all originals.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates (2025 academic year)
3,502 · Includes graduate school completers
Full-time employment
2,423 · 69%
Went on to graduate school etc.
427 · 12%

No employment results for international students alone could be found in official materials.

University Portraits · figures for all students (not international students only)

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Scholarships

  • Sophia University Scholarship for New Students: for students admitted with Sophia as their first choice who find it hard to enroll for financial reasons and are academically outstanding, first-year tuition is reduced in full, by half or by one-third.

Student life support

There are 3 university-run dormitories (Sophia Edagawa Dormitory, Soshigaya International House, Alpe International Student Dormitory), plus dedicated and recommended dormitories.

Getting there

Yotsuya Campus
JR Chuo Line / Tokyo Metro, Yotsuya Station, 3 min walk · Exam venue for the Admission for International Students
東京都千代田区紀尾井町7-1

SALLAE compiled this from the school's admission guidelines and official sources (such as University Portraits). Dates and amounts can change, so always check the school's guidelines before you apply.
Photo: Keiichi Yasu · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons